Could Diddy Get a Trump Pardon? Ex-President Responds

Donald Trump has once again been vocal about the possibility of him coming to the aid of hip-hop superstar Sean “Diddy” Combs, in case he needs it. On the morning of Friday, August 1, the former president made a brief guest appearance on Newsmax’s Finnerty and, when questioned about it, expressed his readiness to consider pardoning Combs’ charges from last month.

Sean Combs, Bad Boy Records founder, was found guilty on one of the three federal charges he faced in early July: transportation with intent to promote or engage in prostitution. However, he was found innocent of the other, more serious charges of sex trafficking and racketeering. The trial lasted over seven weeks and involved many witnesses and testimonies of both the prosecution and the defense. It also saw singer Cassie Ventura, ex of Combs, accusing him of abuse and trafficking during their short relationship, a claim the rapper denied. The now-51-year-old rapper has stated that he feels fully innocent of the charges and has expressed his intention to appeal.

As for Trump, he said the following when asked about his opinion on pardoning the rapper: “Well, he was essentially, I guess, sort of half-innocent,” the 79-year-old said. “He was celebrating a victory. But I guess it wasn’t as good a victory.”

He also added that the two were once “very friendly” but that the relationship “busted up” after he (Trump) got into politics. “He used to like me a lot. I think when I ran for politics, that relationship busted up. … I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”

Trump Touches on Friendship With Combs

Incidentally, this is not the first time that Trump has spoken about the idea of pardoning Combs. Back in May, he did so during his daily press briefing at the Oval Office, after Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked him the same question. At the time, Trump had a very similar response, in that he said he would look at the facts of the case “very carefully” before he decided anything. He also stated that it would not matter to him if Combs liked or didn’t like him, and that ultimately he would decide based on the merits of the case.

“I haven’t spoken to him in years,” Trump said in response to Doocy’s question. “I would certainly look at the facts. If I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”

The charges on which Combs was found guilty last month were part of a wide federal investigation that ended in the July conviction. Although the rapper was found not guilty of the worst of his charges, he will have to serve his time for the remaining federal count of transportation with intent to promote or engage in prostitution. For that, he may face up to 20 years in prison. The sentencing, which is set to occur at the end of the month, is currently scheduled for October 3.

One thing that the high-profile case of Sean Combs, in recent months, has sparked debate about is how celebrity justice is served. In addition, there has been a lot of discussion about the power the president of the United States of America wields in terms of his right to clemency and whether or not personal relationships can sway his decision. The public statements made by Trump on the matter of Combs have certainly stirred controversy on the matter and added a new wrinkle to the story. The former president of the U.S.A. has kept his remarks ambivalent with the possibility of a pardon on the table, but has also clearly stated that his and Combs’ friendship did not factor into his considerations.

“I haven’t spoken to him in years,” he concluded in his interview with Doocy. “But if I think somebody was mistreated, whether they like me or don’t like me, it wouldn’t have any impact on me.”

A clip of the full remarks of Trump made during the Finnerty segment was uploaded to X (formerly Twitter). Fans, political commentators, and experts from the legal field, among many others, have had a lot to say about it. It remains to be seen if Trump will eventually make a decision about a pardon or not, but at least he has planted the seed of possibility in the process.

For now, the rapper’s sentencing in October is the main thing to keep an eye on, at least until then.